


92 Days: The Sequel

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-10-24
Updated: 2009-10-24
Packaged: 2019-05-30 17:17:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15101372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: What happens when Josh and Donna return from Miami?





	1. Part 1:  Repacking, Airplanes, Burglars and Confessions

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

  
Author's notes: This is a three-part sequel to my story, 92 Days. Again, I thank J.P. for her terrific beta skills.  


* * *

We were running late due to an early morning repacking incident.

I'd gotten completely dressed by 8:15 a.m. while Josh was in the shower. We planned to leave at 8:30 in order to make our 10 a.m. flight.

"Donna, have you seen my jeans?" Josh came out of the shower drying his hair with one towel, while the other one was wrapped low around his waist.

"I haven't seen you in jeans at all on this trip." I zipped my suitcase and placed it against the wall.

"I could've sworn I brought my Levis." Josh began rummaging around in his bag, pulling everything out.

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked as I saw socks, t-shirts and boxers flying through the air. "Josh, we're leaving in ten minutes and you're unpacking?" I stood next to the bed with my arms folded.

He didn't look up. "I don't have any pants, Donna."

"I can see that."

Still bent over his suitcase, he craned his neck to look back at me. "You wanna help me out here, or are you just gonna stare?"

I wanted to knock that smug look right off his face. I huffed and walked toward him, but I was most definitely staring at his towel-clad ass.

"We don't have time for this," I said.

Josh threw a white t-shirt over his head. I caught it and promptly folded it. Next came a pair of Nike running socks. I bundled them up, placing them next to his t-shirt. Finally, two pairs of blue boxer shorts landed at my feet. I picked them up and placed them back in the suitcase. 

He continued unpacking despite my efforts to get him back on track.

I bent at my knees, careful to tuck my skirt beneath my legs. Grabbing his wrist, I said, "Just wear your khaki pants. We have to go."

Apparently, he had other ideas. He placed his hand on top of mine and grinned. "We still have ten minutes." 

"I don't know what you think you can do in ten minutes, Josh, but if it's anything that requires…" He had his lips on mine before I could finish my statement.

My arms seemed to wrap around his neck of their own volition. His damp hair smelled like rosemary mint shampoo.

Josh began unbuttoning my linen blouse with one hand while the other stroked my cheek. He kept kissing me with the perfect amount of pressure. It wasn't one long kiss; rather, it was a series of little intimate kisses. Before I had a chance to reject him, his hand was on my breast. My shirt was completely open, and one strap of my bra hung loosely off my shoulder. 

Josh's mouth tugged at my bottom lip, then slowly made its way just beneath my chin. Working his way down, he lavished my neck with baby kisses until he reached my right breast. When he gently pulled my nipple into his mouth with his teeth, I was breathless, speechless and motionless. I told myself to pull the towel off Josh's waist, but I was completely and utterly distracted. His hands moved to my waist, and both of his thumbs rubbed the skin near my belly button. My hands were wrapped in the curls on his head as his mouth switched to my other breast.

By the time his lips made it back to mine, he was fully on top of me. The towel around his waist had come undone, but it was still strewn across his midsection. I tugged at it until it lay in a heap next to the mess near Josh's suitcase. As soon as my hands reached Josh's ass, we heard a voice bellowing from downstairs.

"Josh? Donna? You're going to miss your flight!"

Josh looked at the clock on the nightstand. "Damn it!"

He stood, completely naked, and pulled me up with him.

"We'll have to continue this discussion later," I said.

"Is that what the kids are calling it these days?" he asked, smirking.

My knees were a bit shaky, so I bent down again, throwing Josh's clothing into his suitcase while he pulled his khaki pants off a hanger. As soon as he was dressed, we rushed downstairs, slammed the front door and ran to the car that Miriam had already started.

***  
Josh should not have sat with me in the backseat of his mother's car on the way to Miami International Airport. First of all, Miriam was forced to play chauffeur. Second, I should've known he'd partake in some inappropriate touching.

As Miriam talked about visiting DC, Josh had his hand on my leg. As if that wasn't enough, he slowly inched up my skirt with his fingertips, all the while participating in the conversation with his mom. 

I swatted his hand away twice, but that did not deter him. So I crossed my legs and placed my folded hands on my lap. Josh took that as his cue to rub the underside of my arm. Unfortunately or not, I was mesmerized by his touch, and he ultimately got what he wanted: a moan.

Mortified, I slapped his hand and gave him my best "death glare" as his mother asked what was going on in the back seat.

"Donna's making weird sounds," he claimed.

For that, he got another slap, but harder.

"Ow!"

"Now who's making sounds, Josh?" I grinned.

Saying goodbye to Miriam was harder than I expected. When she dropped Josh and me off at the airport, she squeezed my hand, not letting go until Josh tugged me towards security. 

"Call me when you land," she said, waving goodbye.

"We will!" I shouted as Josh continued pulling me rapidly through the maze of people.

Josh looked back twice. Each time, his smile faded a bit. As much as he didn't want to go on this trip in the beginning, I could tell that he was glad he did. Josh and his mom had always been close, but when she moved to Florida, he seemed to feel a sense of abandonment. After this weekend, I was confident that Josh and his mom would get back to the way they used to be.

When we finally boarded the plane, we exhaled.

***  
"We should probably discuss what's going to happen with 'this' when we're back home," I said as I grabbed Josh's hand. 

He squeezed mine. "Can't we have just one day when we don't discuss it?"

"Josh, we spent three days not discussing it."

He threw his head back against the seat, and I released his hand. 

Josh was clearly frustrated. It seemed like he didn't want to discuss our relationship at all.

I folded my arms over my chest and looked out of the airplane window.

Picking up on my body language, he said, "I think we need some time to come up with a plan."

The closer we got to DC, the more Josh reverted back to political operative instead of lover. In Miami, he was open and honest. I might have even describe Josh as "free." But flying back home made him anything but. 

I literally watched his mind working. He kept fidgeting in his seat and tapping his fingers on the armrest. Twice, he got up to walk the aisle. Finally, he pulled Toby's speech out of his backpack and scribbled notes in the margin. I pretended to sleep. When the pilot announced our descent, I caught Josh looking at me. He clenched his jaw, then went back to his paperwork.

I had a feeling that nothing would be as I'd hoped.

***  
As soon the flight attendant said it was safe to do so, Josh turned on his cell phone. He listened to his messages as we walked toward the airport exit.

"Everything ok?" I asked, adjusting my purse strap on my shoulder.

He put the mouthpiece below his chin. "Yeah, but I have to go in for a little while."

I smiled weakly. This was it. We were back to reality, and Josh was 100 percent focused on being deputy chief of staff. I thought about that morning and the way Josh was so determined to make love to me. His hands roamed all over my body while his lips played with mine. I was reminded that when Josh focused on something, he gave it his full attention. I usually loved that about him, but I hated it right now.

"Did you drive?" he asked, putting the cell phone back in his pocket.

"I took a cab," I said, looking straight ahead. "Do you need me to come in with you?"

"No. I'm gonna meet Leo in half an hour." He looked at his watch.

"I'll just get a cab." I gave him the best fake smile that I could muster. "It's no big deal."

Josh stopped beside me and looked me in the eyes. "Donna, I'd take you home, but Leo..."

"It's fine. Really." I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. I felt a well of tears build up in my eyes. I had to get out of there as quickly as possible.

He touched my elbow and stepped closer to me. "I'll call you later."

"Ok." One more quick smile, and I turned and walked away. 

I stood in line for a cab for fifteen minutes, and when it was my turn to get into the yellow car, I was lost in thought. How could we have shared an incredible morning of making love and end up going in different directions?

"Miss? Miss?"

I think the taxi driver called for me three times before he turned completely around in his seat to get my attention.

"Sorry," I said. 

After giving him my address, I stared out the window with a blank expression on my face. The driver tried to strike up a conversation about the unseasonably warm weather, but I completely shut him out. The only thing I was aware of was my occasional blinking.

***  
I had my emotions under control when I arrived at my apartment. I shut the door behind me, placed my suitcase next to my end table and crashed on my sofa. I didn't allow myself to lie there for very long. After taking a few deep breaths, I stumbled to the phone to check my voicemail. There were three hang ups and one message from CJ.

"Donna, it's CJ. I hope that Josh wasn't too annoying in Miami, and you were able to get some sun. I have a few questions about Josh's schedule this week, so could you give me a call when you get this? Thanks."

It was back to work for everyone, including me: Josh's dutiful assistant.

I took a quick shower to remove the airplane funk from my body. I smiled thinking about my conversation with Josh on Miriam's back porch. I wished that I was back on that porch, sipping iced tea, talking about crickets and birthdays.

I returned CJ's phone call when I got out of the shower, but she didn't answer her phone. It was just as well, considering I didn't have Josh's schedule with me.

In fact, I had nothing of Josh's with me except the faint scent of his cologne. The breeze coming in from my window blew the scent from my sweater hanging off the back of my chair. I took a deep breath through my nose before going into my bedroom alone.   
***  
I climbed into bed early that night, wondering if Josh would even call. Nearly an hour later, my phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey," he said. I heard a car door shut. "Were you sleeping?"

Ignoring his question, I asked, "Are you just now leaving the office?"

"Yeah."

"Is everything all right?" I asked, sitting up in bed.

"Yeah, but we have our work cut out for us this week." He sighed.

I lay back down. The last time I talked to Josh on the phone in my bed was when he asked me to go to Miami. I reflected on how much had changed in five short days.

It was my turn to sigh. "I figured as much."

Josh shifted gears. "I know we need to talk, Donna, but can it wait until tomorrow night?" His voice slurred a bit, sounding too tired to think straight.

I bit my lower lip, trying to hold back my emotions. "Sure."

"I don't feel much like talking tonight," he stated in one breath.

"Ok, Josh. Good night."

"Night."

I hung up the phone and squeezed my eyes shut. I refused to let tears return to my eyes. I repeated to myself "don't do it, don't do it." I concentrated on my breathing for the next few minutes, and I fell asleep with only one tear on my pillow.

***  
I had no idea how much time had passed between the time I fell asleep and the time I heard a noise in my living room. My eyes flew open. I didn't know whether to jump out of bed or throw the covers over my head. I chose the second option.

There was a thump in the hallway. I became very nervous. My palms felt clammy, but I held the sheets tightly over my head. I heard a switch flick and saw light through my sheets and comforter.

"Donna?"

I knew that voice. I whipped the covers off my head. "Joshua, you scared the living crap out of me! I thought you were a burglar!"

He was grinning ear to ear. "So you hid under the covers?"

"You think this is funny?" I sat up.

He walked toward the bed. "You hid under the covers," he said as if I missed the punch line to a joke.

I glared at him.

"It's adorable. Not very practical, but adorable nonetheless," he said. He sat on the bed next to me, pulling me into his chest.

I couldn't control the tears spilling down my cheeks. "You're a jackass, Joshua."

"I've been called worse." He rubbed my back and kissed the top of my head. "Why are you crying?"

I pulled my face away from his chest so I could look at him. "You scared me."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

I looked in his eyes. "I thought you said you didn't want to talk tonight?" 

Josh wiped my tears away with his fingertips. "I don't want to talk tonight."

He leaned toward me and kissed me tenderly. When I responded, he put his hand on my head to pull me closer. He deepened the kiss for a few seconds, then stopped. "Every minute I was away from you today was hell."

I smiled.

"We're gonna figure out a way to make this work, Donnatella." He punctuated his statement with a kiss. "I promise."


	2. Part 2:  Coffee and The Laws

When I woke up the next morning, Josh was not next to me. Instead, there was a note on the pillow.

_Double soy latte with extra foam.  
\- Josh_

Did he honestly think I was going to bring him coffee just because our relationship may have changed? I never recalled telling him that sex equaled coffee. Of course, if he'd asked last night, not only would I have bought him that double soy latte, I would have combed the streets in search of an espresso maker he could call his own.

I drove to work with a smile on my face and the note in my pocket. Even though I hated the emotional highs and lows we'd been through yesterday, I felt confident that Josh and I would find a way to be together despite our circumstances. 

The way Josh treated me at the airport, I realized, was nothing out of the ordinary. He wasn't rude or inconsiderate. He'd been away from work for five days, and he was worried about catching up. Josh loved his job. He lived and breathed politics. I couldn't expect him to behave any differently under the circumstances.

It was time that I got back to my role as his assistant rather than his lover.

***  
When I arrived at work, I marched straight into Josh's office under the pretense that we needed to review his schedule.

"You have senior staff in five minutes and Sean Flannigan at 9."

"Good morning to you too, Donnatella," he said, lifting his head.

I closed the door and produced the little note from my pants pocket. "Care to explain this?"

"It's coffee." He got up from his chair and gathered a couple of files from his desk.

"I know what it is, Joshua, but what gave you the impression that I was going to bring you coffee?"

He breezed by me, opening the door. "I've got senior staff."

I stood there for a moment, a bit confused. 

When I got to my desk, I saw it: a large Starbucks cup with a pink Post-It note on the side.

_Did you honestly think I'd drink soy milk?_

_-Josh_

My hand flew to my chest. How could I doubt what this man said to me in Miami about making it work? As I was lost in my thoughts and sheer happiness, CJ stopped at my desk.

"Must be a damn good cup of joe."

I snapped out of my reverie. "CJ! I didn't see you."

"Apparently not." She leaned against my doorframe. "How was Miami? Doesn't look like you got much sun."

I was hoping she'd view the blush on my cheeks as sunburn. "It was overcast most of the time." I shrugged.

"You have a minute to review Josh's schedule?"

"Sure. Your office in five?"

"Sounds good." She walked away. "Carol?"

I took another sip of my soy latte, smiled, gathered my things and headed to CJ's office.

***  
Monday was incredibly busy. Josh and I only spoke three times the entire day, and each conversation lasted less than five minutes. He was in and out of meetings, and I had to return about 20 phone calls. By 10:30 p.m., we were both exhausted.

"I'm gonna finish these notes tomorrow," I said, peaking my head in Josh's office.

He must've been engrossed in whatever he was reading because I startled him. "Sorry, what did you say?" He sat up straight, flexing his back. "What time is it?"

"It's 10:30." I stepped inside. "I'm going to finish the notes from your meeting with Spears tomorrow."

"Ok."

There was an awkward pause. I looked down, then I looked at Josh. "Do you want to come over to talk?"

"Yeah." He exhaled more than he spoke. He tried to appear attentive, but it was clear that he was tired. "Meet you there in 20 minutes?"

My lips made a straight-lined smile. "Ok." I turned to leave, but had second thoughts. "You know, Josh, we don't have to do this tonight. There's always tomorrow."

He closed the book he was reading with a thump, signaling he was ready to leave. "Yeah, but we have tonight." He smiled.

***  
I heard Josh kick off his shoes as soon as he walked in the door.

"Donna?"

"In here," I yelled from the bathroom. I'd just finished washing my face, so my hair was in a very messy ponytail on top of my head.

Josh walked to the bathroom, undressing with each step. First, he removed his tie. Next, he untucked and removed his white, starched-yet-rumpled shirt. Then, he took off his undershirt and socks. When he got to the bathroom, his pants were unbuttoned and unzipped, revealing his gray boxer briefs.

"Hi," I greeted him. My eyes focused on the way his pants divided beneath his navel. The red Calvin Klein label on his boxer briefs caught my attention. I bit my lower lip.

I don't think Josh suspected that he'd have that effect on me. He grinned when I dropped the small towel I was using to wipe my face.

"I've been waiting to do this all day." He wrapped his arms around my waist from behind and began kissing my exposed neck. "This is a new look."

I reached to untie my ponytail, but Josh stilled my hand. "Don't." He grinned. "I like it."

I kissed him on the lips for a solid minute. I promised myself not to get carried away since we really needed to talk about our relationship. I figured that Josh, like any man, would dread those four words I was about to say.

"We need to talk."

Unfortunately, he stopped kissing me. "Yes."

I led him to the sofa by the hand, offering him something to drink. When he refused, I began. "We need rules."

Josh slumped over, putting his head in his hands. "No more rules!"

"These are different rules, Josh," I explained. "These rules will keep us employed."

He sat up, then flung his head against the back of the sofa. "I hate rules." He reached for my hand, but I pulled it away. Then he moved closer to me on the sofa, leaning in to kiss me behind my ear.

"You write rules every day."

"I write laws every day." He smirked as if he'd just won that little argument.

"Ok." I shrugged. "Then we'll call them 'laws.'"

"That's very clever, Donnatella."

I placed a hand on his exposed chest. "Josh, I'm serious. If we want to continue this…this thing, we have to agree to certain conditions."

He looked at my hand on his chest. "There's no way you can touch me if we're going to have this conversation without interruption."

I smiled inwardly, pleased at the effect I had on him. I removed my hand. "Do we agree that we should keep this private at least until we figure out a plan?"

"Yes."

"Then rule number one is that there will be absolutely no inappropriate touching at work," I stated.

"I think I can handle that."

"You MUST handle that." I gave him a stern look.

"I can do it, Donna," he said. "Look how good I was today."

"We saw each other for a total of 17 minutes today. I hardly think that's an accurate barometer by which to gauge your success."

"You think you're irresistible? That I can't keep my hands off of you? Cause I gotta tell ya…" Josh was in the middle of developing quite the smirk.

I folded my arms and raised my eyebrows, interrupting him. "Go on, Josh."

He swallowed hard, pulling a pillow into his lap. "Nothing. I was just gonna say that it's an excellent rule."

Satisfied with his answer, I continued. "The next law is that we cannot spend more than one night a week at each other's homes."

"That's not even remotely viable!" He stood abruptly. "We're just getting to, you know, the good stuff, and you're telling me we can only see each other once a week?"

"I didn't say 'see each other,' I said 'spend the night at each other's homes.' There's a difference."

Josh raised one hand in the air while the other remained on his hip. "Not by much!"

"Maybe we can compromise on this one." I grinned. It wasn't that I enjoyed Josh's outburst, but I found it a bit endearing.

"I can compromise," he said. "In fact, it's what I do for a living. Of course, I usually end up getting the better deal, but let's compromise." He shifted into full political mode, complete with a grin. "How about four nights a week."

I shook my head. "That's not gonna happen."

"Why not?" His voice got very loud.

"Is that how you talk to your fellow politicians?"

He put his hands on his hips. "Four nights is fair, but I'll settle for three."

I stood and moved next to him. "Josh, do you fully understand the ramifications of our getting caught?" I paused and took a step closer to him. "We could lose our jobs."

"I know that!" he yelled. He took a deep breath then grabbed my hand, rubbing his thumb over my knuckles. He lowered his voice. "I know that, Donna. I've thought about it a million times. If we got caught, I could handle it."

I kissed his thumb. "I don't know if I could."

"Are you doubting this?" He seemed offended.

"I'm not doubting anything, Josh. I just don't think we can fathom the fallout from a sex scandal. Do we really want to face another personal disaster in this administration?"

"We're not gonna get caught." He rested his forehead against mine. "I promise."

"That's why we're making these rules. It isn't because I don't want to be with you." I kissed his nose.

He sighed. "Two nights?" 

I smiled. "One night of actually sleeping over, and one night of coming over but leaving before morning."  
"Fine." He sat back down on the sofa with a huff.

"You're not making this easy, you know," I stated.

"That's because this isn't easy," he replied. "I've waited almost seven years to be with you, and you're telling me I can only touch you twice a week?"

Sometimes Josh's tantrums could lead to something very sweet. 

I sat next to him and took his hand in mine. "You've waited seven years?"

"Damn right." He looked very proud. Like he should be rewarded for his restraint.

So I rewarded him. I couldn't resist his Adam's apple or the vein pulsing in his neck. I kissed both.

"What did I say about the touching?" he asked.

"I'm not touching," I replied. "This is kissing."

"Mmmm."

After several minutes of making out with my shirtless boss, I got back on track. "There are two more rules."

Judging from the grimace on his face, he did not seem pleased.

"We can't use our government e-mail or cell phones to communicate about this."

"That's easy enough." He shrugged. "We both have personal e-mail accounts, and we can talk in code if we're on our cell phones."

I burst out laughing. "Talk in code?"

"What?" He seemed genuinely offended.

"What are we, in high school?"

"How the hell else are we going to talk on our cell phones if we need to discuss private stuff?" He shifted his upper body away from me. "Besides, it's sexy and mysterious."

I tried controlling my laughter. "There are many other ways that we can be sexy and mysterious, Josh. We can't use our cell phones to discuss anything private."

He put both hands on his head. "I hate this!"

"Jobs, Joshua."

"Needs, Donnatella."

"You're going to thank me one day." I moved back in his arms.

"Not any time soon," he mumbled as he put his arms around my back.

"I said there were two more rules. That was the first one." I pushed my body up so that I could look him in the eyes. "The last one is that we cannot go on dates or do anything publicly romantic."

"But we can still go to dinner or, you know, other normal places, right?"

"As long as it wouldn't be misconstrued as anything romantic, I don't see why not."

He sighed. "Is that all?"

I thought about it for a moment. "Yes. Those are the rules."

"Laws."

"Whatever."

In one movement, Josh flung me on my back and straddled my hips. I enjoyed the sight of his exposed boxer briefs, so I spent some time rubbing my hands along the inside of his slacks without actually touching his penis. Once I was sure he was completely under my spell, I helped him remove his pants. His hands roamed over my stomach and sides. The way he grabbed me under my arms made me feel possessed.

For the fifth night in a row, we got less than four hours of sleep.


	3. Part 3: A Frustrating Kinda Love; Toby and CJ Weigh In

A month into it, Josh and I were doing pretty well with The Laws. The only one we had consistent trouble with was the sleepovers. Instead of spending one night a week at each other's place, it was more like two. Or, you know, six. 

The nights that we didn't spend in each other's arms felt empty. We'd talk on the phone until one of us fell asleep. Usually, it was me. Josh would call me the next morning before he left his apartment. Since he was on his government-issued cell phone, he knew that he had to keep it professional. Every once in a while something would slip.

"What are you wearing?" 

I'd playfully answer, "I'm wearing a plain black pant suit with a gray turtleneck."

He'd grin when he saw me for the first time in the morning, and I was most definitely not wearing a turtleneck. I figured I could toy with him just a little bit, even though he knew he couldn't touch me. So I wore low-cut yet appropriate bright-colored silk blouses. And a lot of skirts.

As soon as I knew he arrived at work, I'd meet him at the entrance. A rush of joy would overcome me, and I reminded myself how silly I must've looked. If I looked silly, Josh looked downright buffoonish. He'd bounce on his toes, show his dimples and touch me on the arm. It was worth it when I hadn't seen him in over four hours.

Josh would usually usher me into his office, closing the door behind him. He wouldn't touch me, but he often bit his fist in frustration as he paced.

In a whisper, he'd say, "You have no idea how hard this is."

"I'm sure it is," I'd respond, looking down at the front of his pants.

"Out!" He'd point to his door.

I'd smile and leave him to his thoughts. 

While Josh probably thought he had gotten the short end of the deal, I don't think he realized how difficult it was for me not to touch him at work too. Especially when his hair was still damp, his beard was freshly shaved and he had on that navy blue pin-stripped suit. Even worse was at the end of the day when he had his sleeves rolled past his elbows and the top button of his shirt undone. I spent many hours contemplating what I'd do to that little patch of skin on his neck that was formerly covered. Would I touch it with my fingers first, or should I begin with my lips?

When we got to my place at the end of the day, I'd tackle Josh. Sometimes I started with my lips, but usually, I began with my hands. He'd torture me just the same, but it was glorious torture that I never wanted to end.

***  
I'd thought about getting romantically involved with Josh since we were on the campaign trail. I never allowed my thoughts to get too far because I knew it would be impossible to have any sort of relationship with my boss. However, as the years went on, my fantasies became more and more detailed. I never would've guessed that they'd come true. I also never thought things with Josh could feel this good.

Even when our second term would eventually end, we would not be a typical couple. Sure, it would be nice to be able to hold Josh's hand in public or go on a real date, but we were so accustomed to being together without "being together," that it usually didn't matter. 

Still, every once in a while, Josh got frustrated with the situation. 

One day, I was in his office with a pile of books and binders in my arms. Josh's phone was ringing off the hook. Two months worth of committee reports and briefing memos fell to the ground as I stretched over Josh's desk to pick up the phone.

Because of my awkward position, my skirt rose high on my legs, and my torso was nearly pressed against Josh's desktop. I propped my arm up on my left elbow so I could hold the phone to my ear while my right hand searched for a pen on the desk. When I found one, I began scribbling the message. Before I knew Josh was in the office, I heard the door shut.

"I'll give him the message right away," I said, hanging up the phone and turning my head to look at Josh.

His grin was unmistakable. "Don't move."

"Josh…" I started to get up, but within three seconds, he was behind me. 

His fingers cascaded down the length of my arms. His body covered mine as he pressed against me. His lips nipped at the back of my neck. 

I moaned. "That feels so good."

Josh kept touching me and kissing my neck. His palms rested on the back of my hands, then he picked each hand up and lifted me back into a standing position. 

I turned in his arms and put my forehead against his.

I opened my mouth to speak, but he beat me to it. "Don't say it. I know." He shut his eyes and took a deep breath.

"This is important," I said, handing him the message I'd just taken.

"Yeah," he responded, talking about something else entirely. He took the message from me.

I cupped his cheek with my hand and smiled before leaving his office.

***  
The next incident happened one night when we had cocktails with Charlie and Zoey, who had been officially back together for a couple of weeks. They were in the "we're so happy to be back together" stage, and it was hard for them to keep their hands off each other. 

Charlie pulled the chair out for Zoey, and she gave him a thousand watt smile. He let his hand linger on her back as he took his own seat. When we were all seated, Charlie squeezed Zoey's hand only for a second, but it was clear that they were a couple. Throughout the evening, they'd touch each other the way couple's did without being too ostentatious.

Josh, having had one Black and Tan and a pint of Guinness, put his hand on my thigh underneath the table. For a split second, the thrill of his touching me coursed through my body. I placed my hand over his, locked our fingers together, squeezed, then released. He looked at me as if begging would help.

"This is killing me," he whispered.

"What was that?" Charlie asked.

"Nothing," Josh replied. He took another long sip of beer.

It broke my heart to see Josh struggling with this. I'd seen the way he behaved with Mandy and Amy. When they were dating, Josh didn't seem to care if they were even in the same room as him. He was usually more interested in talking politics with Sam, Toby or Leo. In fact, I remember several events when Josh talked to me more than he talked to Amy. I think, now, it was more knowing that he couldn't be with me publicly that made him want to do it more.

***  
The next day at lunch, I overheard Charlie and Toby talking in his office. Charlie was filling Toby in on his love life, and Toby was pretending not to care. When Charlie began talking about the night before, Toby became more attentive.

"Josh seemed, I don't know, sad," Charlie said.

"Sad?"

"Yeah. Like something wasn't right." He took a bite of his sandwich.

"Was Donna there?"

"Yeah. She didn't seem very happy either."

Toby didn't respond.

I felt like an intruder, so I went back to my desk. It upset me to think that our friends thought we were sad, when in fact, we were terribly happy. We were just sad that we couldn't share our feelings for each other with them.

I discussed the matter with Josh later that night. We were both frustrated.

"The part that upsets me is that I have to hide you from my friends," he said while rubbing my calves.

"What are we supposed to do, Josh?"

"I don't like lying." He kissed my bare shoulder.

"We aren't lying."

He was silent for a moment. "Maybe we should tell someone."

"Are you crazy?" I jumped into a sitting position.

"Seriously, Donna. Maybe we should get some feedback from someone we trust." He pulled me back toward him. When we were in bed, Josh simply had to touch me. I never complained.

I thought about it. Maybe it was a good idea to get some feedback. A huge weight would be lifted off our shoulders if we could tell just one person. "Who would we tell?"

Josh shrugged. "Toby?"

I tried stifling my laughter. "Toby?"

"You have a better idea?"

"What about CJ?"

It was Josh's turn to laugh. "Right. Let's tell the White House press secretary that we're having an affair."

I moved to the other side of the bed. I hated when Josh referred to it as 'an affair.' It felt cheap and tawdry. He knew that, so he tilted his head as if saying he was sorry, then reached a hand out for me. I refused it.

"It's better than telling Toby. What's he going to do? Tell us that we'd better start reading the classifieds?"

Josh sighed and leaned back against the pillow. He put his hands behind his head, which exposed his biceps. I laid down next to him and kissed the soft, pale skin under the muscle.

As if a light bulb went off in his head, he shot back up. "Why don't we tell both of them?"

"Again, you're crazy."

He shrugged and took my hand. "They're going to tell each other anyway, so why not tell them both at the same time?"

"That's a frightening thought." Images of CJ swinging her hand at Josh's head and Toby yelling at the top of his lungs swirled in my head.

"We'll do it next weekend," he said. "What's the worst that could happen?"

***  
Josh convinced Toby to invite the three of us to his house the following Saturday night. He said that CJ and I wanted to see the twins, and he wanted to watch the game on ESPN.

We'd formulated a plan and prayed that it would work.

After eating pizza from Fratelli's, we lounged in the living room. The twins crawled on the floor, and I chased them. Josh was on the floor with me, touching me every once in a while. Nothing was inappropriate about his touches, but it was definitely more than what we normally did in public. I noticed CJ's expression change a couple of times.

"Anyone ready for port?" Josh asked, standing.

"I'll help you pour."

"The glasses are in the cabinet to your right," Toby said.

When CJ heard giggling in the kitchen, she must've been surprised to see Josh pull me in his arms and try to kiss my lips.

"Oh my god!" Her hand flew to her heart.

Within seconds, Toby entered the kitchen. "What the hell?" 

I was still in Josh's arms.

"Please tell me your next words are 'This isn't what you think it is,'" Toby said with his hands on his hips.

"Actually," Josh said. "It's exactly what you think it is."

CJ's hand rested on her forehead as if she were checking her temperature. 

Toby rubbed a hand over his balding head and leaned against the counter. "This is not happening."

"No. You're right. This can't be happening," CJ replied, trying to calm down. "I'm having some sick dream."

"It's been happening for nearly two months." Josh released my body but grabbed my hand.

Once CJ realized that Josh was serious, her eyes bulged and her body lunged forward. She shouted, "Are you kidding me? The two of you can't just…"

I interrupted. "CJ, we wanted to tell you a long time ago but the timing…"

Toby interrupted me. "The timing? You're talking about timing?" His voice was filled with nervous laughter and his eyes were as big as CJ's.

Josh stepped in. "I know this is shocking, but we need to talk to both of you."

Toby paced the length of the kitchen floor with one hand on the back of his neck, the other on his hip.

CJ folded her arms and stared Josh down. "Start talking."

"Can we at least sit?" Josh asked.

In unison, Toby and CJ replied with an emphatic "no."

Josh looked at me and put his other hand over our joined ones. "When we were in Miami…"

"I knew it! I knew Donna shouldn't have gone on that trip." CJ stopped pacing and looked directly at me. "What were you thinking?" 

"I certainly wasn't thinking this!" I waved my hand between Josh and me.

"Continue, please," Toby said, looking at Josh and wiping his brow.

"When we were in Miami, Donna and I decided that we were better together than apart."

"You're together nearly fourteen hours a day! That's not enough?" CJ yelled.

Josh released my hand and stood in front of CJ. "Not like this, CJ. Can you honestly stand there and tell me that we don't belong together?"

"Yes…no!" CJ let out a frustrated sigh. "You might belong together, Joshua, but not at this stage of the game!"

Josh's "victory grin" was beginning to surface. CJ looked like she'd just lost her lunch.

I smiled and took a step forward. "You think we belong together, CJ?"

"I didn't say that." CJ took a step back.

"Yes you did." Toby chimed in. His smile was barely noticeable.

"What I meant was…" She stopped mid-sentence when she saw Josh come back to me and take my hand again.

"She thinks we belong together, Josh."

"Damn it, Donna, I didn't mean it like that." She slammed her hand on the counter.

Toby tried to fill in for her. "I think what CJ meant was…"

"I am the White House press secretary, Toby." She glared at him. "It is my job to understand situations and explain them to others." She stood eye-to-eye with Toby. "Just because this matter isn't political in nature doesn't mean I can't use my skills to make sense of it all."

"If I could interrupt," I said, holding my index finger up as I was about to make a point.

CJ put her hand in the air. "Donna, let me finish." She turned back to Toby. "And since this matter _will become_ political in nature, I have every right to clarify myself here."

Toby looked at Josh and me. "What CJ meant was that, while the two of you have some inexplicable connection that would classify you as a couple under normal circumstances, your timing leaves much to be desired."

Josh replied in a high-pitched voice, "We've been beyond careful for the last two months." He looked at me, then at Toby and CJ. "The reason we're coming to you now is because we want to make this work."

"The bottom line is that it can't work as long as we're in office," CJ said, folding her arms.

"The bottom line, CJ, is that I'm in love with Donna, and I don't want to hide that any more."

My breath caught in my throat. "Josh."

He directed his attention back to me. "I don't wanna hide it any more, Donna. I'm saying I love you."

I threw my arms around his neck. Although I think CJ and Toby heard me, I whispered in his ear, "I love you too."

When our emotional display was finished, Josh looked at CJ, who, if I'm not mistaken, had tears in her eyes. Josh was the first to speak. "How can you say this isn't right?"

But it was Toby who responded with raised eyebrows. "I can't."

CJ looked at Toby, shaking her head. "I don't believe this." Then she looked at Josh and me. "Actually, I do believe this."

She pulled me into her arms while Josh shook Toby's hand. When she released me, she slapped Josh over the head.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"You're about to make my life a living hell."


End file.
